Selling software to school boards can be incredibly helpful and lucrative. This is true for many reasons. Firstly, if your software becomes widespread across a school board, that can make for quite a large order. School boards who implement your product will likely buy multiple copies for multiple schools within their districts. This can lead to bulk orders, and the security of knowing you have a big client. However, there are different levels to this for you to consider. For example, if your software is taught in many schools, it can become much more widespread. Your software being taught will mean an entire new generation of people familiar with your software. Suddenly, the students who used your software in school will be an entirely new group of potential lifelong customers. Additionally, the inclusion of your software in schools can set new standards beyond elementary schools in Canada.
Clearly, breaking into the school board market is a great move. Surely your company would love to become a more widely known asset. With so many students potentially learning to use your software. This can help your software become a requirement to know. Your software could gain popularity among a large group of potential leads long term. However, it can be difficult to break into the school board market. Education budgets are being cut all over for elementary schools in Canada. Key decision-makers have to be careful about what they want to invest in. However, if you know that your product is great, there are still ways to reach out to Canadian online schools. Here are a few tips and tricks that might be of service.
- Tip number one, is to figure out where you already stand in the educational market. Your first step, is to figure out if you have any customer who are already in the educational market. Yes, that’s right, you may already be selling to some teachers or schools. The key is to figure out which of you customers are already connected to the educational sector. Once you know which customers you already have within education, reach out. Be gracious and thankful for their interest. Additionally, you should ask your elementary schools in Canada customers about how exactly your software helps them. Figuring out what appeals most to educators about your software is great information to have. From there, ask your existing contacts about other potential leads. You can also request them to be references for your product.
- Next, you will want to be smart about timing. If you want your software to be bought for the following school year, you will need to already be pitching to schools by spring. The educational market runs on its own unique schedule, and you will need to adapt. For example, once school lets out for summer, you could be out of luck. Ideally, you will have teachers reviewing and looking over your software in spring. This will mean that by August (when buying decisions are generally made) they will really know your software. However, it can take even longer than a year for your software to start being taught. Additionally, you should check in regularly throughout the review process.
- There are also many little tips that can help your product stand out to elementary schools in Canada. For example, generally, your software will be more appealing to educators if you offer a windows and mac version. Little details like this can really help make or break your case. Additionally, you should keep up to date about the educational magazines that are relevant to your districts. There will likely be educational sector publications for you to advertise in. You can place your software press release in one of these publications.
- Pricing is another huge factor in navigating the educational market. When it comes to prices, the educational market is different than the commercial market. It is a general expectation that educational prices will run lower. Especially if you are a newer company to the educational market, you will need to offer educational level prices. Quite simply, if you don’t offer educational level prices, you just won’t compete with those that do. This is also something to take into consideration for the future. If your prices absolutely cannot go lower to suit the educational market, there is still a way to improve. You should ensure that any new software or update offers a lower price for educators than your commercial price.
- Finally, you should ensure that, when reaching out to your database for schools, that all your sales pitches are cohesive. You, yourself, likely cannot do everything. Your company will likely have to outsource some sales pitches to people other than you. For this, you must be prepared. Ensure that every single person selling and pitching your software understands it and its value. One great option for you, is to provide an informational sheet that explains your product well. Additionally, any informational sheet should show why your software outperforms the competition.
Selling to Educators with Scott’s Directories
When you are trying to break into the school board market, you need to access the best contact information. At Scott’s Directories, our online school database is expansive and effective. We offer info on over 17,000 Canadian schools, as well as over 50,000 contacts! We have the information your team needs to sell to school boards. Invest in quality contact information, with Scott’s Directories.
